In Portland, the latest do it yourself move is by foot by Willamette Pedestrian Coalition

No U-Haul for this move. Just backpacks, a rolling suitcase, a couple of dollies, numerous small trailers and 60 feet slapping the pavement.

The parade of walking movers wound along the streets from the former headquarters of the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition at 711 S.E. Grand Ave. to its new digs at the corner of Southeast Main Street and 8th Avenue.

The sun was out. Pedestrians stared. Drivers did, too.

A heavy bookcase. A desk. A filing cabinet. Boxes, chairs, bits and pieces. Portland has seen its share of funky do-it-yourself moves organized on Shift2bikes.org but the pedestrian coalition might have been the first organization to rally people for a foot move.

No gasoline. No greenhouse gases. And a message: We should all be able to safely walk the streets of Portland whether it's a walk to the grocery store or simply crossing the street to get into a vehicle.

For the director of the pedestrian coalition, it's an equity issue. Steph Routh, 34, can't afford a car and doesn't want people to feel they need one to navigate Portland, her hometown.

At the unmarked intersection of Southeast Yamhill Street and 7th Avenue, Routh looked both ways carefully and then voiced the WPC mantra.

"We actually have the right of way," she cheerfully called out to her helpers. "We can go across."

In 2005, the Oregon Legislature improved pedestrians rights with a new law. Now, drivers must stop at virtually any intersection where there's a pedestrian crossing whether or not it's marked with white lines. Advocates say "crossing" should mean placing a foot off the curb to indicate the pedestrian wants to cross. Pedestrians, of course, should exercise care. The law says they can't just dart in front of a car if that would create an immediate hazard.

How many times have I blown by people, not realizing I needed to stop? Lots.

As the parade of helpful crossed the street, the approaching cars looked ominous. Everyone behind the wheel is alert, right?

"If every driver paid attention to every intersection for the possibility of pedestrian crossing and stopped for them, then I think people would feel better about walking," said Anne McLaughlin, a board member of the coalition.

McLaughlin, 65, is a former City of Portland planner in the recycling program and a former conservation program coordinator. She is also a peace activist. Walking is part of her vision because people on foot are more apt to see and connect with each other. And, "reducing the use of oil is a way to move the world toward peace."

The pedestrian coalition, founded in 1991, has 150 members and an annual budget of $47,000 made up of membership fees and two grants, one from TriMet. The coalition is advocating for Metro to increase the percentage of money for pedestrian projects. It lobbied for improvements to Southeast Foster Road after a car killed two women last year trying to cross at 80th Street. (The city ultimately installed a rapid flash beacon there to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing.) It teaches second graders pedestrian safety education. And it promotes planning details to make walking not just safe but attractive -- like grocery stores having sidewalk entrances in addition to parking lot ones (Take Fred Meyer on Hawthorne for instance.)

The foot move called attention to the coalition's goals but perhaps more than anything, it was a testimony to inspired community building in the city. Routh has helped on more than 35 bike moves so when she posted a foot move, roughly 30 people responded, many of whom recognized each other from past volunteer events. Later, she treated everyone to a beer.

I see the extreme irony in driving to a walking move but scheduling reasons made it difficult not to. As I drove home, a woman waited to cross at an unmarked intersection. I saw her but didn't really until it was too late to stop. Exactly what McLaughlin had talked about. Then I saw a woman with a stroller pause at another unmarked intersection. I could tell she was waiting for me to go on by.